Australian Cars In The UK

[Richard_FM]

While Lonsdales have been discussed before, I couldn't see much if any mentions of some other Australian made cars that have been officially imported over the years.

In the 1970s Chrysler Europe tried bringing over some Australian made cars to replace the bigger Humbers, which unsurprisingly didn't sell very well.

At the same time Ford tried to do a similar thing with their Australian models to the same response, though I know more recently some have been imported for hearse conversions.

I did wonder if any of these still survive.

Once I was driving home from work when I still lived with my parents & suddenly noticed that the Vauxhall Vectra ahead of me had odd badges, & getting closer I could see that they were Holden ones!

It seems odd to import a car which you can buy here, so maybe it was an Antipodean expat who had managed to get a set of Holden badges to fit on their car.

[Skut]

I think a Leyland P76 or two has made it over the years. 

[bramz7]

Couple I have seen

1975 Ford Fairmont Falcon XB. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

1971 Ford Fairmont 4.9 V8 Station Wagon. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

1971 Ford Fairmont 4.9 V8 Station Wagon. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

1972 Ford Fairmont 4.9 V8 Saloon. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

 

 

1961 Holden EK. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

1973/74 Holden Kingswood. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

1993 Mitsubishi Magna 2.6 GLX Estate. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

 

1996 Ford Falcon Longreach GLi. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

2004 Ford AU Falcon Utility. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

 

Seen a few of those pickups about, most recently near Buckingham around Christmas time, I think they were imported for a very short period.

2003 Coleman Milne Fairline. by Sam Osbon, on Flickr

One of the batch of converted Fairmonts for funeral use, these were marketed as funeral transport I think. I have seen one or two for sale, one not being very much. Saw another about a week ago. 

 

[406V6]

Vauxhall Monaro and VXR8 officially imported

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Ford LTD in the early 1980s.

[Bren]

In the late 70's one of my school mates dads' had one of these

[bunglebus]

That would explain this one that I papped near Southend

 

Image409 (2) by RS, on Flickr

Image408 (2) by RS, on Flickr

[chaseracer]

Back in the 70s, a bloke who owned a shop on Vaughan Street in Llandudno, round the corner from my gran's place, ran a series of Chrysler Valiants.  There seemed to be a different one each time we visited her.

[hairnet]

theres a couple of those local to here used as funeral limos @bunglebus

friend had a monaro and is currently sat at the ace cafe for aus day in his vxr8

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Not surprising you saw a Falcon ute near Buckingham @bramz7, they were imported by a company based in Thorton which is halfway between  Buckingham and Milton Keynes. I think they were all LPG too. 

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2002/5/27/lpg-first-drive-the-verte-tempest-a-truck-that-s-a-gas-gas-gas/11442/

just found this , didn't realise they were only LPG and not petrol and LPG, also didn't remember they sold them as Vertes, seems they were 15 years too soon for the green revolution.

[bunglebus]

Ah I found one of those too...

 

Verte Tempest XL by RS, on Flickr

Verté Tempest XL by RS, on Flickr

[Stinkwheel]

1 hour ago, chaseracer said:

Back in the 70s, a bloke who owned a shop on Vaughan Street in Llandudno, round the corner from my gran's place, ran a series of Chrysler Valiants.  There seemed to be a different one each time we visited her.

Blooming love Chrysler Valiants. The closest thing you could buy in the UK to a muscle car (even if they only had the 318ci V8 in) 

[MorrisItalSLX]

Now this is a topic I will enjoy.

I recall a thread here a while ago where some shitters attended a banger race (Stan Woods Memorial?) that had a Holden HQ wagon go around the oval, it stood out to me as it had a seemingly rust free tailgate which is quite the rarity.

There was a Holden HQ Statesman that was sent to the UK for evaluation, though I think it is no longer with us.

On the P76 front, there were 2 sent for evaluation, a saloon and a coupé, the latter never reaching production. There is also a Targa Florio in the UK too. All 3 of these cars survive to the best of my knowledge.

[Craig the Princess]

The P76 coupe is the best looking car BL ever thought of.

[chaseracer]

53 minutes ago, Craig the Princess said:

The P76 coupe is the best looking car BL ever thought of.

If a Maserati Kyalami, a Jensen Interceptor and a Lancia Flavia Zagato had a threesome...

[Amishtat]

A mate of mine has this but I'm ashamed to say that I don't know what it is other than a Holden.. 

[sierraman]

@sheffcortinacentre has an absolutely fantastic Falcon Ute. You can hear it coming. 

[Sir Snipes]

1 hour ago, Craig the Princess said:

The P76 coupe is the best looking car BL ever thought of.

I wss just thinking how ugly it is lol. Saloon looks nice however. 

[Amishtat]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Ah I found one of those too...

 

Verte Tempest XL by RS, on Flickr

Verté Tempest XL by RS, on Flickr

I've seen that (or possibly one like it, although that seems unlikely) at Colchester cattle market a few times, never knew what it was before now. 

[Ian_Fearn]

When my FiL died 5 years ago, the funeral cars were Fairmonts. 

The engine sounded like refined perfection. Ideal funeral transport. 

[sutty2006]

Even the Aussies got better cars than us. Lucky bastards. My mates girlfriend worked over there and bought a Ford Mondeo mk4 back as it was the model you can’t get over here. I’ve looked into buying an F250 (because RHD) but the prices are mega in comparison. Would love a holden commodore though, they look the business. 

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, Amishtat said:

I've seen that (or possibly one like it, although that seems unlikely) at Colchester cattle market a few times, never knew what it was before now. 

Could be the one, this was in Wickford so not a million miles away

[jonathan_dyane]

I would love one of those ex funereal Fairmont estates mind.

[Asimo]

Plenty of  Limos on eBay todayhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Ford-Fairlane-Dorchester-AU-Coleman-Milne-Funeral-Limousine-in-black/143475804135?hash=item2167d307e7:g:j8EAAOSwHIBd-l37

 

£1800 BIN

 

But I would rather like one of these. Auto of course!  

[Tadhg Tiogar]

There was a company in Wellingborough, Linden Special Vehicles, that used to import Holden Commodores and Maloos (utes) in the late 1990s / early 2000s, as well as offering tuning packages for them. They seemed to be doing alright and then suddenly disappeared overnight. Shame, really, as the cars seemed to be better value than the BMW E39 5-series which was the nearest rival at that time. 

[Asimo]

Presumably because Vauxhall began selling the Monaro and VXR8?

 

[Ghosty]

Local funeral director runs Falcon/Fairmonts around 2007/8. They have hearses, limousines, and an estate with blacked out windows that looks the bollocks. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

31 minutes ago, Asimo said:

Presumably because Vauxhall began selling the Monaro and VXR8?

They went off a while before the Monaro was officially imported.

Still think it was a pity, as the Commodore saloons were quite good value, although running a "basic" 3.8litre V6 would probably have put a few people off...

[Saabnut]

Back in the late 80s I had a 1972 Chrysler Valiant, but sadly even then it was too rusty to save.

I do have this though, but for sale so hopefully not for too much longer

[JeeExEll]

Saabnut could your Valiant have been the body shape which ended in 71? Around very late 80s, 1990ish, I did some on-site work at an engineering workshop in Stonehaven. Was based there for a couple of weeks living in a B&B and remember an old 2-door hardtop Chrysler Valiant driving around, right hand drive obv, but it was the shape from before 1972. I think it was red, quite rough looking, but great to see on the street.

This body shape